Ab-Soul. Photo by Chris Carey.
Ab-Soul is solidifying his long-awaited return to rap with “Do Better,” the first single from the L.A. rapper’s forthcoming album. He emerged in 2007 as one of the core rappers in Top Dawg Entertainment along with Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, and Jay Rock. Ab-Soul's last full-length project, Do What Thou Wilt., was released in 2016.
On his new song, Ab-Soul describes how the pressure of his early successes and struggles with depression contributed to his extended hiatus. It fits in well with the kind of music that built his ardent fanbase in the first place — deeply personal while subconsciously aware that he has the foundation to make the changes he needs.
The song’s music video, streaming below, visualizes Ab-Soul’s internal strife with both surreal poetry and distressing literalism. “I’ve cried enough about it,” Soul says in a press statement, “so I’m choosing to laugh now, cause I’m here, I’m standing tall and I’m grateful, so that’s how I’m choosing, I’m doing the work, the 6 year wait is almost over.”
This year, Ab-Soul has shared two other singles: “Hollandaise“ and “Moonshooter.”
